What better way to spend Valentine's Day than with the orchestra from the City of Brotherly Love?
On Tuesday night, the Philadelphia Orchestra came to Carnegie Hall with their Chief Conductor, Charles Dutoit, who's taking something of a victory lap as he prepares to make way for incoming music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Dutoit, who's 75, was still a charismatic presence on the podium, leading this troubled-yet-accomplished orchestra in a program of three "concertos," all in very different guises.
Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra (1943) can rightfully be called his "American Concerto." Written during his exile in New York, it was an overnight sensation, establishing Bartók's name in the U.S. where he was previously unknown, despite his reputation as one of the leading composers of Europe. No doubt Bartók walked over to Carnegie from his 57th Street apartment when the Boston Symphony played it here for the first time in June 1945. (The BSO will perform it again at Carnegie next season.)
The Concerto for Orchestra is generally more accessible and optimistic than Bartók's earlier output, no doubt catered to his American audience. Written in five movements, it traverses the standard arc from quick allegro, to haunting scherzo, to slow central movement, then back again. It was clear from the outset that the Philadelphians were on their game, with tight brass, polished strings, and crisp, clean percussion: this is a very good orchestra. Dutoit's gestures were reserved, yet full of snap and crackle: he could have easily been mistaken for someone twenty years younger (no thanks to that horrible dye job, Charles.) The finale, encapsulating all of Bartók's incredibly diverse musical language - from creepy glissandi to clarion fanfares – sent everyone to their feet.
Opening the concert was the Frank Martin's Concerto for Seven Wind Instruments (1949): a surprisingly enganging work by this relatively obscure Swiss composer that seemed to echo both Bartók and Debussy, with spiky brass and tribal timpani mixed with broad, expressionist motifs in the strings. Canadian soloist James Ehnes played the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with about as much personality as a paper bag, but still sounded fine. (He played Paganini's relatively plodding 16th Caprice as an encore.)
It's good to see this excellent orchestra apparently unfazed by the maelstrom swirling around it, though that might not be the case for long, as Steve reports that at least three of the seven wind soloists in the Martin are leaving at the end of the season for other gigs, continuing a trend that has accelerated since the orchestra filed for bankruptcy last April. And, one wonders what kind of success Nézet-Séguin – who is only 36 – will have trying to convince other longtime players not to bail. One can only hope the folks in charge down there have a viable game plan to right the ship before it's too late.
More pics on the photo page.